Bellows type foot pump



April 27, 19755 A. 2R. MURAT @E11-m.

BELLWS yTYPE FDD-.T YPUMP 2 Sheets-:Sheet l Filed March 7, 1965 David Lang/ois 1N VENTORS 9 BY WWWMLM April 27, l935 A. R. MURAT ErAL 3,180,566

BELLows TYPE FOOT PUMP Filed March '7, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

v v y Tira.' Al//l Fig. 7

Ada/ph Murat David Lang/als INVENTUM IM Hmm ture.

United States Patent O 3,1%,566 BELLGWS TYPE FGT PUMP y Adolf R. Murat and David Langlois, San Clemente, Calif., assignors to A. Murat & Associates, inc., San Elemente, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Mar. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 263,579 7 Claims. (Cl. 23d-i60) This inevention generally relates to a foot operated pump assembly which is of the low pressure, high volume output type.

` An object of this invention is the provision of a lnovel foot operated pump assembly which utilizes a pair or" comressible and expansible bellows to receive and pump air through a common discharge port.

Another object of this invention in accordance with the preceding object is the provision of guide means which slidably mount a foot operated actuating strap for compressing the bellows.

A still further object of this invention resides in the provision of a pair of inlet conduits communicating the atmosphere with the interior of each of said bellows, and a one-Way check valve overlying the aforementioned communication to admit air to the interior of said bellows only during expansion thereof.l

Yet another object of this invention resides in the provisionfof a one-way check valve disposed in the aforementioned common discharge port to permit the exhaust? ing of the air only upon compression of said bellows means. v Another object of this invention in accordance with the preceding objects resides in the fact that all the major components of the device are self-lubricating thereby rendering maintenance thereof ata minimum.

Yet another object of this invention resides in the provision of a novel hose coupling member'forrned integral with the one-way check valve at the discharge port. `A still further obiect of this invention is to provide a foot operated pump assembly of the character described which is simple and efficient in use but yet develops a high volume of the air pumped to the aforementioned dis'- charge port. j

These together with other `objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter' described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals referto like partsthroughout, and in which: f FEGURE l is a perspectiveview of the pump assembly and illustrates the bellows andhactuating means therefor. FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the pump assembly with'certain portions broken away' in horizontal section to illustrate details thereof. v

FIGURE 3 is-a front view in elevation of the pump assembly with certain portions broken away to Aillustrate in vertical section further details thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a detailed sectional View taken substani tially along the plane 4 4 of FIGURE 3 with certain portions of the bellows structure broken away to illustrate in vertical section the details of the interior thereof.

. tion of they air intake means utilized in the present pump assembly. .A y

FIGUREG is a fragmentary sectional view taken sab-` stantially along the plane 6 6 of FGURE l and illustrates the monnting of the bellows upon the base strucf Ice lhah Patented Apr. 27, i965 FGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional View taken upon enlarged scale substantially along the plane 7-7 of lFlGY 2 and illustrates the discharge port utilized in connection with the pump assembly of the present invention and the control means for allowing exhausted air to flow therethrough.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the pump assembly comprising the subject matter of the instant invention is generally designated by the numeral lli and comprises a base member l2 upon which a pair of bellows lll and is are mounted. he bellows i4 and lo are mounted within annular recesses such as i8 cut in the base structure l2. The bottom portion of each of the bellows, see FiGURE 6, is formed with a horizontal annular flange Ztl adapted to seat within a recess l and is lixedly secured therein by means of a clamping ring Z2 mounting a plu rality of threaded members 21E through the iiange 2@ and into the base structure l2. n

The base structure l2 further comprises a pair of rec tangular recesses 26 and 2S cut in the bottom surface thereof for receiving a pair of upright standards Sti and 32 which are threaded adjacent the recesses 26 and 2d to receive hexagonal nuts 35i and 35 which retain said standards upon the base l2. A channel shaped strap member 38 is adapted to overlie and straddle each of lthe bellen/sld and i6 and comprises a foot receiving surface to compress each of said bellows. The flanges itl andre?. of said strap member have rigidly attached thereto a pair of channel shaped bearings d4 and whichare slidably received upon the standards Sli, 32, respectively, in encompassing relation thereto for guiding the pathl of movement of the strap 3S upon the strap being actuated by a foot/to 'compress the bellows. Each of the standards 3h, 32. conrrises a head orstop member 4S and Sti to prevent the strap 33 and bearings 44, lo from leaving each of the standards. it should be'understood that the bearings de, may be made self-lubricating by forming the same out of a plastic material such as polyethylene resin or the like. The web of the strap 33 mounts a plurality of disl; or cymbal 'shaped members 52 and 54 by welding or the like, which are adapted to overlie and conform to the shape of each of the'bellows ld and lo whereupon by imparting a force to the strap 3S by means of the foot,y the disk shaped fn-embers 52, 5d will transmit said Aforce to compress the bellows la and i6, respectively. lt

n As shown in FGURE 4 the disk 52 is formedV with an f opstanding recess 56 to receive an upstanding projectionn 45d at the top surface of the-bellows ill. Correspondingly,

` such a projection is formed on the bellows lo to be 'received within a recess in the disk 54. The projection Et houses a recess di? into which a coiled helical spring 62. is jammed at one end thereof. The other end of the coiled spring is adapted to rest upon the base structure whereupon compression of the bellows will cause compression of the ycoiled spring 62 and release of the foot pressure on the strap 33 will allow the spring 62 to expand thus eX- panding the bellows and restoring it to its initial position. Of course, the bellows could be formed of such resiliency as to return itself to its initial position.

Upon expansion of each of the bellows llland 15 a vacuum is created therein which if the bellows is open to the atmosphere will cause an irl-rush of airthereto.,

In order to produce this result, air intake means comprising a conduit 64 and 66 is adapted to communicate the interior of the bellows with the atmosphere. As the air intake means for each of the bellows is the same, explanation of one only, that is, the oney in conjunction with the bellows 14, will be explained. prises a passage from the atmosphere into a vertical bore 63 formed beneath the bellows 14. A ilap valve assembly generally designated by the numeral '711 is adapted to overlie the bore 68 and allows admission of air into the interior of the bellows 14 upon expansion thereof. The flap Valve or disk assembly 70 is adapted to seat within an annular recess 72 formed in the base 12. The air intake disk assembly 70 comprises a flexible member i4 formed of a plastic material or the like seated within the recess '72 and has a pair of `C-shaped legs 76 and 78 which clamp therebetween an annular pressure plate dit. The central portion of the member 74 has a recess 82 adapted to communicate with the recess 68 from the conduit 64 and is normally closed by a iiap valve 84 which overlies the recess 82. A generally U-shaped disk S6 having a central aperture 83 and lateral passageways such as 9i) overliesk the pressure disk 8@ and effectively clamps the member 74 and pressure disk within the recess 72 by means of threaded fasteners or the like 92. Therefore, it should now be apparent that the expansion of the bellows 14 will cause an in-rush of air through the conduit 64 into the vertical bore 68 and into the recess S2 thus causing the flap valve 84 to be raised Aand allowing the air to Vemanate rhe conduit 64 cominto the interior of the bellows 14 through the passage-v Y ways 38 and t). The pump assembly further comprises air outlet means for guiding compressed air through la suitable hose connection or the like. The outlet means comprises a pair of conduits 94 and 96 drilled at an angle to one sideface of the base portion as shown in FGURE 2 and meeting at a juncture .98. The endsY of the conduits 94 and 96 contain suitable plugs such as 100 and 102.V Each of the conduits 94, 96 meets with a vertical bore 104,;

106 drilled through the base 12 and which are plugged by suitable Stoppers such as 168 adjacent the bottom surface of the base 12. Each of said bores 164, 106 opens into the interior of the bellows and is adapted to communicate the interior of each of said bellows with a discharge port for the compressed or expelled air atthe juncture 98 of the conduits 94, 96. The base-12 is threaded adjacent the juncture 98 as shown at 110 to receive a suitable one-way check valve 112 adapted to admit the passage of air therethrough only upon the compression of the bellows 14, 16. Said valve comprises a tubular member 114 yexternally threaded at 116 to mate with the threads 110 on the base j 12. An air passage 118 permits the entrance of air exhausted through the juncture 98 to the valver112 and :a spherical valve member 126 normally is seated to close the air passagelll. This is accomplished by means of a coil spring 122 attached toan annular washer 124 or the like rigidly attachedY to the interior of Vthe tubular member 114 which biases the spherical `valve 1211 to close the passage 118. The washer 124 has an aperture 126 centrally located therein to admit exhausted air when. the

valve 120 is opened. On kthe side of the washer 124` remote from the valve 120 is a suitable coupling 128 for the attachment of a hose or the like. A lock washer 130 on the exterior of the tubular member 114 completesthe assembly. Thus,` upon compression of the bellows 14,

16 air will be caused to iiowthrough the conduits 94, 96v

98 of the outlet conduits of the pump assembly and through the valve assembly 112 to a suitable hose connected thereto. Upon the release of the foot pressure, thev coil spring 62 or the inherent resiliency of the bellows 14, 16 will cause the same to expand thereby causing an in- Vrushof air through the conduits 64, 66 and the valve assembly '70 into the interior of the bellows 14, 1610 condition the pump for its next compressionV stroke. Due to the one-way valves in the air intake and outlet means effective control of the air within thebellows is maintained at all times. The guide arrangement comprising the uprights 30, 32 and thebearings 44,' 46 connectedk to the strap 3S define or restrict the path of movement of the foot operated actuating means to thereby render effective the full force imparted to the strap 3S by having the same applied ina vertical direction parallel to Vthe axis of each of the bellows.

They foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art,l it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation Shown and described, andl accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention `as claimed.

What is-claimed as new is as follows:

1. A foot `operated pump assembly comprising a base, a pair of comprcssible and expansible bellows means mounted onrsaid base, air intake means on said base communicating the atmosphere with the interior of the'bellows means for admitting air upon expansion thereof, air outlet means communicating with the interior or" the bellows means for exhausting air upon compression of said bellows means, rfoot Voperated actuating means common to and straddling kall of said bellows means for imparting a force to compress said bellows means, Vand a pair of guide means mountedtupon and rising from said base on opposite sides, of said bellows means defining and restricting the path of movement of said-actuating means connecting the actuating means 'toy the base.Vv j

2., The structure of claim 1 wherein saidV actuating means and guidemeans includes pair of upright standards connectedto the base, a channel shaped strap having a web overlyingy and, Vstraddling lsaid vbellows Ameans and having flanges on its ends, a bearing on each .iiange of said strap slidably received on said luprights and connecting means onthe. web of said strap overlying the bellows means` for transmitting a force imparted to the strap to said bellows means for compressing the same.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said bellows means includes a pair of bellows fixed to the base, said air outlet means including a plurality of conduits each communieating with the interior of one of said bellowsmeans and joining to form a common discharge port, one-way valve means at the discharge port for discharging air only upon compression of said bellows means and a hose coupling integral withthe one-way Valve means in the discharge port.

4. Thel lstructure of claim 3 wherein said actuating meansV and guidemeans include a pair of upright standards connected yto `the base, a channel shaped Vstrap including a web overlying and Vstraddling said bellows means and having flanges-on its end, a bearing on each -ange of said strap slidably receivedV on Vsaid uprights'and connecting means on Vthe web of,l said strap 'overlying each of said bellows means for transmittinga force imparted to the strap to said bellows meansfor compressing the same.

i 5. The structure of claim 3 wherein the air intake means includes a pair of conduits communicating the atmosphere with` the interior of :each ofl said bellows and` one-way valve means disposed in each of said conduitsY for admitting air to the interior of said bellows upon expansion thereof.

6. The combination of claim l wherein said air inlet means includes a plurality of conduitsfin'said base, each for a bellows means, each conduit-.having an inlet communicating with the atmosphere atfthe side of said base, and an outletcommunicating with the interior of the associated bellows means., said outlet consisting Aoi a recess in 5 6 the top surface of said base, a non-return upwardly open- References Cited by the Examiner ing valve assembly mounted in said recess. UNITED STATES PATENTS 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said valve 1 105 942 8/14 Waring 230.164 assembly commises a member having 'C'ShePed legs e 1328'529 1/20 Lines 23o-218 pressure plate engaged in said C-shaped legs, means secur- 5 i696: 413 12/54 Whedom ing said pressure plate in said recess to said base, said 2,947,470 8/60 Ruben et al 23,0 160 member having a bore therethrough opening into the associated bellows means and a disk valve cooperating with ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner.

said bore .and limiting air tlow therethrough upwardly into 10 WARREN E COLEMAN, LAURENCE V. EFNER, the assoclated bellows means. Examiners. 

1. A FOOT OPERATED PUMP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A BASE, A PAIR OF COMPRESSIBLE AND EXPANSIBLE BELLOWS MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE, AIR INTAKE MEANS ON SAID BASE COMMUNICATING THE ATMOSPHERE WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE BELLOWS MEANS FOR ADMITTING AIR UPON EXPANSION THEREOF, AIR OUTLET MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE BELLOWS MEANS FOR EXHAUSTING AIR UPON COMPRESSION OF SAID BELLOW MEANS, FOOT OPERATED ACTUATING MEANS COMMON TO AND STRADDING ALL OF SAID BELLOWS MEANS FOR IMPARTING A FORCE TO COMPRESS SAID BELLOWS MEANS, AND A PAIR OF GUIDE MEANS MOUNTED UPON AND RISING FROM SAID BASE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BELLOWS MEANS DEFINING AND RESTRICTING THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING MEANS CONNECTING THE ACUTATING MEANS TO THE BASE. 